Broncos, coach fined for taping of 49ers' practice

FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2010, file photo, Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talks into his headset during an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego. Since starting out 6-0 in his debut season as a head coach, McDaniels has gone 5-15. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
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FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2010, file photo, Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talks into his headset during an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego. Since starting out 6-0 in his debut season as a head coach, McDaniels has gone 5-15. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
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FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2010, file photo, the San Francisco 49ers work out during an NFL football pracrice at Wembley Stadium, London. The NFL fined the Denver Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels $50,000 each because the team's video operations director broke league rules by filming a San Francisco 49ers practice in London last month. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi, File)— AP

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2010, file photo, the San Francisco 49ers work out during an NFL football pracrice at Wembley Stadium, London. The NFL fined the Denver Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels $50,000 each because the team's video operations director broke league rules by filming a San Francisco 49ers practice in London last month. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi, File)
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In this photo taken in 2010, Denver Broncos video operations director Steve Scarnecchia is shown in Englewood, Colo. The NFL fined the Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels $50,000 each on Friday, Nov. 27, 2010, because the team's video operations director broke league rules by filming a San Francisco 49ers practice in London last month. The NFL investigation determined Scarnecchia took the six-minute video of the walkthrough and presented it that day to McDaniels. The coach declined to view it. Scarnecchia was fired by the Broncos. (AP Photo)— AP

In this photo taken in 2010, Denver Broncos video operations director Steve Scarnecchia is shown in Englewood, Colo. The NFL fined the Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels $50,000 each on Friday, Nov. 27, 2010, because the team's video operations director broke league rules by filming a San Francisco 49ers practice in London last month. The NFL investigation determined Scarnecchia took the six-minute video of the walkthrough and presented it that day to McDaniels. The coach declined to view it. Scarnecchia was fired by the Broncos. (AP Photo)
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. 
The NFL fined the Denver Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels $50,000 each because the team's video operations director filmed a San Francisco 49ers practice in London last month, breaking league rules.

The NFL investigation determined Steve Scarnecchia took a six-minute video of the walkthrough and presented it that day to McDaniels. The coach declined to view it. Still, the NFL fined both the coach and team because the matter was not promptly reported, as required by the league.

Scarnecchia was also involved in the NFL's last videotaping scandal, dubbed Spygate. After the Patriots were caught videotaping New York Jets coaches sending in signals during a 2007 game, the league's investigation determined New England had violated rules over several seasons. Scarnecchia, who had left the Patriots by the time they were caught, was found to have taken part in the videotaping when he worked for the team in the early 2000s.

Scarnecchia was fired by the Broncos and was notified by Commissioner Roger Goodell that, as a repeat violator of league rules regarding the integrity of the game, he faced a hearing to determine if he would be banned from the NFL.

"We certainly did not view or do anything with the footage, and he was made aware that it was something we didn't condone in our organization," McDaniels said Saturday. "I failed to follow through and report it to the proper individuals in our organization and with the league."

Asked why he failed to report the incident immediately, McDaniels said: "I made a mistake. I made a mistake and I should have done that right away. We felt we handled it the right way by not doing anything with that but I did not follow through with it."

McDaniels also worked for New England, but NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash said there was no evidence he was involved with the videotaping there.

The Broncos didn't report this latest incident to the NFL for nearly two weeks, and Scarnecchia remained involved with the team until mid-November. Two hours before the league announced the results of its investigation Saturday, the team said Scarnecchia was on a leave of absence. Later, it said he'd been fired.

A call to a listing for Scarnecchia went to a voice message that said the mailbox was full.

McDaniels, who worked in New England from 2001-09, hired Scarnecchia in Denver shortly after he became the Broncos' coach 22 months ago.

"When we hired Steve, it was with the understanding that he would come here and do good work," McDaniels said. "In no way did we think this situation or type of situation would come up and be an issue for us or for him."

Broncos chief operating officer Joe Ellis said that when Scarnecchia was hired, the team was aware he had been involved in Spygate, but not of the specifics.

"He knew full well what was expected from him in terms of the types of behavior we would expect out of him," Ellis said on a conference call.